Switch for overhead carriers.



No. 884,383. PATENTED APR. 14,1908.

'G. E. HAUPTMAN. SWITGH FOR OVERHEAD CARRIERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15 1906. RENEWED FEB. 29, 1908.

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' No. 884,383. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

. 'G. E. HAUPTMAN.

SWITCH FOR OVERHEAD CARRIERS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. HAUPTMAN, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO .T. DUNCAN &COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COPARTNERSHIP.

SWITCH FOR OVERHEAD CARRIERS.

Application filed January 15, 1906, Serial No. 296,176. Renewed February29, 1908.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HAUPTMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for OverheadCarriers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switches for overhead or suspension carriers.

One object is to provide a switch of the nature stated embodying suchcharacteristics as simplicity, inexpensiveness, durability andefficiency.

A still further object is to provide a switch particularly designed foruse in stores, factories or other houses wherein the switching ofcarriers from a main to a branch track or vice versa is readilyaccomplished.

A still further object resides in the provision of a switch of thenature stated embodying such characteristics that its parts may bereadily assembled and so arranged with respect one element to another asto provide for reliable action and operation.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and pointed out inthe appended claims, it being understood that c anges in the form,proportion, size and minor details may be made, within the scope of theclaims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure l is a top plan view of the invention, thedotted lines indicating the branch switching section in position. Fig. 2is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, thereference character 1 designates a rail connecting web provided with arecess in its upper edge intermediate its ends to form a seat 1 for thesupport of the displaceable switching track sections at and b, the loweredge of the web being provided with a flange, resulting in the formation of the o positely disposed rail seats 2 and 3. The rai sectionsare indicated by the reference characters 4 and 5 and are secured intheir respective seats through the instrumentality of suitable bolts 6.Oppositely disposed arms 7 and 8 are formed integrally Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented April 14:, 1908.

Serial No. 418,567.

web 1 to support the switching section a in alinement with the main railsections 4 and 5. Legs 10 and 11 are connected with one side of theflange 9, there being a leg at each end of the latter and each leg beingprovided with a foot 12 for a purpose presently explained. The heels ofthe feet 12 are provided with perforations 13 designed to register withthe perforations 14 of the depending members 15 and 16 of the respectiveaforesaid arms 7 and 8 for the reception of the elongated pivot pin 16designed to pivotally support the main switching section a between thearms.

The branch switching section b is provided with a flange 17 designed torest u on the aforesaid intermediate seat 1 when t e main switchingsection a is not disposed thereupon. At each end of the branch switchingsection b there is formed a leg, as indicated by the referencecharacters 18 and 19, each having its outer end reduced, as at 20, for apurpose presently explained. The leg 19 of the branch switching sectionb is provided with perforated ears 21 and 22 for the interchan eablereception of an operating rope 23. T is rope 23 is designed to throw theswitching sections into and out of position with respect to the railsections 4 and 5. In most instances, the rope 23 is fixed in theperforation of the car 21 and passes over a sheave 25 so that it may bepassed the desired distance from the sheave and the main the track andswitches so as not to interfere with the passage of a loaded carriageover the rails and switches. The main purpose of the ear 22 is toprevent the leg 20 passing above the upper surface of the flange 9 whenthe main switching section is in operative position, and the operatingrope 23 is fixed in the perforation of the ear 22 only when it can bedone Without the rope interfering with the passage of a load over therail sections when hanging straight down from the latter. It will thusbe seen that the switching sections may be operated by means of a singlerope and this is one of the essential features of t e present invention.Obviously, the sheave 25 is not required when the operatin rope isconnected with the car 22, and it wi 1 be unspecification.

In Fig. 3, the invention is shown positioned to permit the passage of acarrier (not shown) directly over a straight line. It will be seen thatin this position, the curved legs 18 and 19 of the branch switchingsection engage the legs 10 and 11 of the main switching section a justbeneath the upper surface of the flange 9 of the main switching section.It will thus be understood. that the main feature of the reduced ends 20of the legs 18 and 19 is to engage the legs 10 and 11 of the mainswitching section a and lock the latter in position, the effectivenessof the locking of the switchin section a in such manner being dueprincipal y to the fact that the point of con tact between the legs 10and 11 and the edge of the flange 9 is immediately above the level ofthe horizontal center line of the pivot pin 26 of the legs 18 and 19which would require the breaking of the switch before the main switchingsection could be accidentally thrown out of operative position. Whilethe reduced ends 20 of the curved legs 18 and 19 are holding the mainswitching section a ainst accidental displacement, the ear 22 o thebranch switching sections engages the bottom of the foot 12 of the leg 11 of the main switching section and holds the former in its tiltedposition.

When it is desired to displace the main switching section a from itsseat and place the branch switching section b in its place, it is simplynecessary to pull or jerk the operating cord or rope 23 whose inner endis preferabl connected to the ear 21 of the branch switc ing section bwhen the latter will be swung against its gravity over the mainswitching section, such movement of the branch switching section,causing the reduced ends 20 of its legs 18 and 19 to engage the feet 12of the legs 10 and 11 of the main switching section a and move or swingthe latter upon its pivot 16 inwardly of the branch switching section bas the latter is being seated in its operative position. It will thus beseen that when the switching sections are reversed with respect to eachother they overlap, as shown quite clearly in Fig. 2. When it is desiredto displace the branch switching section from its seat, a pull or jerkupon the operating cord 23, which will cause the legs 18 and 19 of thebranch section to engage the legs 10 and 11 of the main switchingsection above the feet 12 thereof and force the main switching sectionto its seat while the branch switching section is being displaced.

From the foregoing it will be understood that my improved switchingmechanism embodies what may be termed a reversible frog consisting of amain section a and a branch section I), both of the latter beingoperated simultaneously by a mere pull or jerk upon a single operatingrope arranged to be grasped by a person upon the floor beneath thetrack. It would ap ear therefore, that the present invention will befully understood from the foregoing when considered in connectionwiththe accompanying drawings and with the understanding that the curvedtrack portion of the branch switching section 006 erates with the curvedtrack 27, the curved ranch section having a projection 2 designed torest upon a regular rail hanger, thereby obviating the. necessity ofnotching the rail 27.

However, the projection z is so disposed as to allow of the use of anotched rail 27.

What is claimed is 1. In a switch for overhead carrier tracks, main andbranch track sections, a web connecting the main track sections, armsconnected to the web, main and branch switching sections pivotallymounted in said arms, one of the sections having an ear, and meansconnected to said ear whereby one of the switch sections may be throwninto engagement with said web while the other switch section is beingtaken from engagement therewith.

2. In a switch for overhead carrier tracks, main and branch tracksections, a web connecting the main track sections, arms connected tothe web, main and branch switching sections pivotally mounted in saidarms, one of the sections having an ear, and means connected to said earwhereby one of the switch sections may be thrown into engagement withsaid web while the other switch section is being taken from engagementtherewith, the switching sections being constructed and arranged tocooperate with each other to lock the main switching section againstaccidental displacement with respect to the connecting web.

3. In a switch for overhead'carrier tracks, main and branch switchingtrack sections, one of the sections having ears, one of the switchingtrack sections having interchangeable connection with the ears tooperate the switching track section.

4. In a switch for overhead carrier tracks, main track sections, mainand branch switching track sections, one of the switching sectionshaving a pair of ears, and means having interchangeable engagement withthe ears to throw them toward and away from each other forinterchangeable cooperation with the main track sections.

5. In a switch for overhead carriers, main track section's, main andbranch switching track sections, and means having connection with one ofthe switching sections to operate both of them, the section to which thesaid means is connected being constructed to receive the means at twodifferent points interchangeably.

6. In a switch for overhead carrier tracks, main and branch tracksections, a web connecting the main track sections and provided with aseat intermediate its ends, arms connected to said web and extendingoutwardly therefrom in spaced relation, a main switching sectionpivotally mounted in said arms for movement into and out of said seat, abranch switching section mounted in said arms for movement into and outof said seat, the main switching section having legs and foot portions,the branch switching section having curved legs, one of the legs of thebranch switching section having a pair ofears, and means connected toone of said ears whereby one of the switching sections may be throwninto said seat while the other switching section is being throwntherefrom, the curved legs of the branch switching section beingconstructed and arranged to hold the main switching section againstaccidental displacement from said seat when seated in the latter, thesaid switching sections being moved toward each other in the operationof displacement.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. HAUPTMAN.

Witnesses:

DoN F. SMITH, R. A. STREETER.

